Filling separator for box looms



July 11, 1961 o. D. MGDEARIS FILLING SEPARATOR FOR BOX LOOMS Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 14, 1958 INVENTOR. 0505/1/ '/v/ 0542/5,

July 11, 1961 o. D. MGDEARIS FILLlNG sEPARAToR FOR Box LooMs 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 14, 1958 FIG. S.

INV ENTOR.

United States Patent() 2,991,811 FILLING SEPARATOR FOR BOX LOOMS Owen D. McDearis, Manchester, Ga. Filed Feb. 14, 1958, Ser. No. 715,308 S Claims. (Cl. 1`39-170.7)

This invention relates to an attachment for looms and, more specifically, the instant invention pertains to a lling separator for attachment to conventional textile box looms.

More particularly, the present invention relates to' attachments for multiple shuttle looms especially designed to prevent the fouling of the filling threads of the fabric being woven or, if desired, the device may be incorporated in new looms during the manufacture thereof, the device being operative to prevent entanglement of the filling threads from the shuttles which are inoperative, either by the operative shuttle or by the other of the lling threads.

To those skilled in the art of loom weaving it is a well known fact that as a shuttle of a multiple shuttle loom moves across the lay of the loom into one compartment of a` veitically reciprocable multiple compartment shuttle box, a length of filling yarn extends between the fell of the fabric being wovenland the multiple compartment shuttle box. In accordance with a predetermined pattern, the shuttle box is raised or lowered and a second shuttle from still another compartment is thrown out of the multiple compartment box across the lay and is returned to its compartment. It frequently occurs that ,as the second shuttle is moved outwardly from its associated compartment in the multiple compartment shuttle box, that portion of the yarn which extends ybetween the :fell of the fabric being woven and the shuttle .box may be pulled back into .the woven material, and under some circumstances this length of yarn may become entangled with previously cast portions of the filling yarn in which case the operative shuttle may sever these filling yarns necessitating the stoppage of the loom, and wherein under those circumstances the lling yarn is drawn into the fabric being woven the same results in defective fabric with attendant higher operating costs.

v Consequently, one of the primary objects of this invention is to provide an attachment for a conventional boxtype loom having multiple shuttles, the attachment comprising means for preventing the pulling in or severage of the filling yarns or threads by the shuttles during the operation of the loom.

' Another object of this invention is to provide an attachment for a box-type loom having a vertically reciprocable multiple compartment shuttle box, the attachment being connected with the reciprocable means actuating the shuttle box :and including a plurality of elements engageable under the filling yarns or iibers extending between the shuttles and the fell of the fabric being woven, the elements lifting the filling yarns as the shuttle therebelow becomes operative.

A further object o-f this invention is to provide a device of the type generally referred to supra, the device finding ready utility in existing looms of the multiple shuttle type, or which may be incorporated as .an additional element in looms `during the course of their manufacture.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a device of the type generally referred to above which is positive in its operation.

rThis invention contemplates, as a still further object thereof, the provision of a loom` attachment of the type characterized above, the -attachment being non-complex in construction and assembly, inexpensive to manufacture, andwhich may be quickly and easily installed in existing multiple shuttle box looms, and which is durable in use.

2,991,811 Patented July 11, 1961y ICC Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become more evident from a consideration of the following specification when read in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a vertioally reciprocable multiple compartment shuttle box loom and illustrating the filling separator attachment constructed in accordance with this invention operably connected therewith;

FIGURE 2 .is a fragmentary detail cross-sectional view of a portion of the loom and illustrating in end elevation the separator wire guard supports, their bracket support member, and adjustable sleeves therefor, FIGURE 2 being taken substantially on the vertical plane of line 2-2 of FIGURE l, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the filling separator attachment, per se; Y

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the filling separator illustrated in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a detail fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substanti-ally on the vertical plane of line 5-5 of FIGURE 4, looking i-n the direction of the arrows; and,

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the separator wire guard supports and wire guards therefor.

Referring now more `specifically to the drawings, reference numeral 10 designates a conventional multiple shut-i tle box type loom which includes an elongated lay 12, a race plate 14, an elongatedreed cap 16, and a plurality of dents 18 extending between the lay 12 andreed cap 16.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a conventional multiple compartment shuttle box which includes the shuttle boxes 22, 24, 26, 2S. The shuttle box 20 -is iixedly secured to one end of a shuttle box lifter rod 29,the other end of which is connected to conventional means (not shown) for effecting reciprocation thereof relative to the race plate 14 in accordance with a predetermined pattern. A conventional harness is indicated at 30.

The filler yarn separator attachment constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention is denoted, in general, by reference numeral 32. As illustrated in the several FIGURES, the attachment 32 comprises an elongated substantially rectangular bracket member 34 having a normally vertica-l clamping collar 36 at one end thereof which is telescoped over the upper end of the lifter rod 29 and is releasably secu-red thereto by means of set screws 38. The other end of the bracket member 34 has rigidly secured thereto one end of a normally vertically extending cylindrical standard 40 over which is telescoped a substantially hollow sleeve 42 maintained in radial and axial adjustment by means of set screws 4'4.

One end of an elongated substantially rectangular support arm 46 is integrally formed with or is rigidly secured to the sleeve 42. The other end thereof projects laterally away from the sleeve 42 and normally overhangs an yadjacent portion of the bracket member 34 in vertically spaced relation. A plurality of vertically elongated substantially hollow cylindrical filling separator wire guard supports 48, 50, 52 have one of their respective ends formed integral with or are rigidly secured to the support arm 46 in longitudinally spaced relation. The filling separator wire guard supports are provided with vertically elongated slots 54, 56, 58, respectively, which extend downwardly from the upper ends thereof and terminate at a point above their respective aforementioned one ends.

The guard support 48 is provided with a plurality of axially spaced diametrically opposed pairs of aligned openings 60, A62., and 64, 66 and 468, 70 to selectively receive therethrough a cotter pin 72. A helicoidal `spring 74 is inserted within the upper end of the guard suppor-t 48 and one end thereof abuts against the cotter pin 72. The other end of the spring 74 serves as a seat for one end of an elongated cylindrical insert 76 disposed for reciprocation within the guard support 48. A guide tongue 78 projects laterally from the lower end of the insert 76 and is slidably received Within the slot 54, and an elongated cylindrical resilient wire separa tor element 80 has one of its ends fixedly connected to the insert adjacent the upper end thereof, the other end of the separator element 80 projecting away from the insert through the slot 54 and extends transversely across the lay 12 between a pair of adjacent dents 18.

The guard supports 50, 52 slidably receive stop collars 82, 84, respectively, which are held in axial adjustment thereon by means of set screws 86, 88. The supports 56, 58 also slidably receive inserts 90, 92, respectively, having tongues 94, 96 which project therefrom through the slots 56, 58 for engagement with the upper ends of the adjustable stop collars 82, 84. One of the ends of a pair of elongated cylindrical resilient wire separator elements 98, 100 are rigidly connected to the inserts 90, 92, respectively, and the other ends thereof project outwardly through the slots 56, 58 and extend across the lay 12 between other adjacent pairs of dents 1S.

Fixedly secured to the reedcap 16 by wood screws 102 is one end of a bracket arm 104, the other end thereof projecting forwardly of the reedcap 16 and overhanging the guard support 48 (see FIGURES 1 and 2). The free end of the bracket arm `104 carries a threaded stem 106 having an abutment element 108 depending from the lower end thereof, the abutment element 108 having a flat lower end 110 adapted to engage and depress the insert 76 to a desired increment. Lock nuts 112, 114 threaded on the stem 106 engage against opposite sides of the free end of the bracket arm 104 to hold the abutment element 108 in adjusted position relative to the upper end of the insert 76.

As is seen in the drawings, the filler separator wire guard supports 48, 50 and 52 are disposed in front of the lay 12 intermediate the compartment shuttle box 20 and the fell 116 of the fabric -118 being woven with the filling yarn or filaments 1120, 122 and 124 extending from the shuttle boxes 22, 24 and 26, respectively, passing behind the separator wire guard supports 48, S and 52, over the wire separators 80, 98 and 100, respectively. No guard support nor separator wire is provided for the lowermost lament 126 (see FIGURE l). The filaments 120, 122 and 124 pass around the guard sleeve 52 and extend to the fell 116. The separator wire 80 is vertically yadjusted by means of the abutment element 110 to apply a desired tension on the lament 120 in order to hold it in vertically spaced relation relative to the filament 1-22, and the wire separator 98 is vertically adjusted to place the filament 122 under tension to hold the latter in vertically spaced relation relative to the filaments 120 and 124. The wire separator 100 is adjusted to place the filament 124 under tension and to hold it in vertically spaced relation relative to the filament 126.

Assuming the proper tension adjustments have been made and the component elements of the loom are in their relative positions as illustrated in FIGURE l, the compartment shuttle box 20 has been moved to its highest position to fire the shuttle (not shown) in the shuttle box 28.

With the loom 10 in operation, the shuttle in the shuttle box 28 crosses the race plate 14 between the warp threads 128 in the usual manner and weaves the filler or filaments 126 therebetween. After the shuttle of box 28 has returned thereto operating mechanism of the loom shifts to bring a preselected one of the shuttle boxes 22, 24 or 26 into position to fire their respective shuttles in accordance with a predetermined pattern. Assuming for the moment that the shuttle box 26 is moved to the firing position, the wire separator element 100 moves a corresponding distance causing the separator wire 100 to lower the filler or filament 124 into its proper weaving position and simultaneously therewith, the separator element 100 engages against the filler 126 to prevent its entanglement with the filler 124 or from looping or doubling in front of the shuttle box 26 where the same might be picked up by the shuttle therein and pulled into the woven fabric.

It should be noted at this time that as the shuttle box 20 was dropped from its original position to its second position, the support arm 46 also moves downwardly, but in so moving, the separator elements 98 and maintained their respective associated filler threads or filaments in elevated position above the shuttle being fired.

lf the loom continues to operate, and assuming that the box 24 has been dropped to firing position, the separator wire 98 will engage across the filler 124 and hold the same against the race in the manner described above so that the filler threads or filaments 124, 126 will not become entangled with the filler 122 when the shuttle in the box 24 is red.

In its final or last position, the separator element 80 moves downwardly to extend across the race plate 14 and extends across the three filler yarns or filaments 122, 124 and 126 and drops the filler yarn or filament 120 in its proper weaving position.

This firing pattern may then be repeated if so desired. It is to be understood, of course, that the firing of any one of the shuttles in the shuttle boxes 22, 24, 26 and 28 may be arranged in any sequence in accordance with conventional mill practice.

Having described and illustrated one embodiment of this invention in detail, it will be understood that the same is offered merely by way of example, and that the instant invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. An Iattachment for a loom to prevent inadvertent or accidental `drawing in of an unwanted filler yarn or filament in the fabric being woven, said attachment comprising an elongated support arm having an end thereof rigidly secured to the lift arm of a multiple compartment shuttle box for reciprocation therewith, said arm being disposed in front of the lay of said loom, a plurality of guide sleeves mounted on said arm and projecting vertically therefrom in longitudinally spaced relation thereon, an elongated flexible wire projecting laterally from each of said sleeves, said wires being reciprocable relative to said sleeves and spring biased for movement in one direction only, said wires receiving thereover filler yarn extending between said shuttle box and the fell of the cloth being woven, said wires being movable with said shuttle box to clamp said filler yarns therebelow to the race plate of said loom, and to elevate the filler yarns resting thereon.

2. An attachment for a loom as defined in claim 1, and means for vertically adjusting the relative positions of said wires with respect to one another.

3. An attachment for a loom as def-ined in claim 2, and means for pivoting said sleeves toward and away from said lay.

4. An attachment for a loom having a. lift arm, said attachment preventing inadvertent or accidental drawing in of an unwanted filler yarn or filament in the fabric being woven on said loom, said attachment comprising an elongated support arm having an end thereof rigidly secured to said lift arm of a multiple compartment shuttle box for said loom to effect reciprocation thereof, said support arm being disposed in front of the lay of said loom, a second support arm connected to said first support arm in vertically spaced relation, a plurality of substantially hollow cylindrical guide members having one of their respective ends xedly secured to said second support arm in longitudinally spaced relation, said guide members being disposed substantially vertical with respect to said 5 6 lay of said loom, a plurality of substantially cylindrical 5. An attachment for a loom as defined in claim 4, and inserts disposed within said guide members, respectively, means for pivotally connecting said second support arm means for holding said inserts in axial adjustment relative on said rst support arm whereby said second support arm to said guide members, a plurality of iexible wires projectmay be moved towards and away from said lay. ing one from each of said inserts, said wires extending 5 across said lay and between the spacers therefor, said References Cited in the fue 0f this Patent wires receiving thereover filler yarns extending between UNITED STATES PATENTS said shuttle box and the fell of the cloth being woven, said 861,668 Myers juh, 30 1907 wires together with said rst and second support anns 2,258,307 Schofield et a1 13603011941 being movable with said shuttle box to clamp said ller 10 2,333,345 Dawkins Nov, 9, 1943 yarns therebelow to the race plate of said loom, and to 2,570,764 Cannon 0t 9, 1951 elevate said filler yarns resting thereon. 2,650,622 Leard Sept. 1, 1953 

